7 STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD Step 1

Step 1 - Observation • Using your 5 senses to learn about the natural

Step 2 – Ask Questions • Asking questions: 1) helps you define a problem

Step 3 – Perform Research • Collecting background information about the subject • Helps

Step 4 – Form a Hypothesis • An educated guess based on observed patterns

Step 5 – Test the Hypothesis • A scientific experiment gives measurable results which

Step 6 – Collecting & Presenting Data • Data is gathered from observations &

Step 7 – Drawing Conclusions • Conclusion – a judgment based on observation &

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7 STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Step 1 - Observation • Using your 5 senses to learn about the natural world. • Ex: hearing crickets chirping at night • Ex: seeing bats catch insects over a brightly lit street lamp.

Step 2 – Ask Questions • Asking questions: 1) helps you define a problem 2) allows you to search for logical explanations 3) helps you find ways to solve problems Ex: Why do insects congregate (gather) around bright lights? Ex: How does the bat locate insects in the dark?

Step 3 – Perform Research • Collecting background information about the subject • Helps you find out what questions still need to be answered. • Reliable research sources: – – Internet sites that are updated daily News outlet sites Government or university websites Peer reviewed professional journals **BEWARE BIAS – the tendency to present inaccurate or unreasonable judgment for personal gain.

Step 4 – Form a Hypothesis • An educated guess based on observed patterns over time. – Inductive reasoning: use observations of specific events to make a hypothesis about general trends. • Ex: Jill notices each time she throws a ball up, it comes down. She inductively reasons that next time she throws the ball up, it will come down. – Deductive reasoning: use a general truth to hypothesize particular events. • Ex: Cory uses deductive reasoning to say, “That’s Newton’s Theory of Gravity – what goes up, must come down. So next time you throw the ball up, it will certainly come down. ”

Step 5 – Test the Hypothesis • A scientific experiment gives measurable results which prove or disprove the hypothesis. • ONE variable is tested at a time. – Independent variable – the factor that is changed by the researcher on purpose – Dependent variable – the factor that changes because of the independent variable; the factor that is measured or counted. – Control variables – all the other factors that are kept constant (not changed) during the experiment

Step 6 – Collecting & Presenting Data • Data is gathered from observations & measurements taken during an experiment. – Qualitative data: observations made with your senses; cannot be represented with numbers. • Ex: shades of colors, tastes, smells, etc. – Quantitative data: measurements that are expressed as numbers • Ex: length, weight, mass, volume, time, temperature, etc.

Step 7 – Drawing Conclusions • Conclusion – a judgment based on observation & experimentation. • A logical statement made from the results of the experiment.